Patna: In a significant development in the high-profile Gopal Khemka murder case, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Gandhi Maidan police station, Rajesh Kumar, has been suspended for negligence. This marks the first disciplinary action taken against a police officer in connection with the case, which has sparked outrage across Patna.
Patna Inspector General Jitendra Rana confirmed the suspension, which follows a damning report by Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya Sharma. The SSP reportedly identified multiple lapses in SHO Rajesh Kumar’s handling of the case during a departmental review, leading to a recommendation for suspension.
Businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead outside his home near Ramgulam Chowk, just 300 metres from Gandhi Maidan police station. His family alleged that police took nearly two hours to arrive at the crime scene — a claim officials initially dismissed, citing delayed communication of the incident.
Despite the arrest of alleged mastermind Ashok Sao and shooter Umesh Yadav, several questions remain unanswered. The duo, currently in police custody, have been interrogated at various locations linked to their meetings and the planning of the murder.
Investigators have also extracted data from Khemka’s seized mobile phone, uncovering potentially crucial evidence. His family has now been served a notice to hand over additional devices, including another mobile phone and a laptop, to help establish the digital trail.
According to police sources, a long-standing dispute over high-value land deals may have motivated the killing. Both Khemka and Sao were involved in the land business, with tensions reportedly arising over properties in Daniyawa and Fatuha. Officers have identified at least ten contentious plots linked to the conflict.
Ashok Sao is believed to have had a pattern of luring businessmen into investing in disputed lands, later resolving disagreements through criminal intimidation. Investigators suspect a broader link between the murder of Gopal Khemka and his son, Gunjan Khemka, who was also killed in a land-related dispute in the past.
